monolitic

Monolitic is an adjective meaning formed of a single large block or piece, or relating to such a form. It is often considered a variant spelling of monolithic. The root is from Greek monos (single) and lithos (stone).

In geology and natural history, monolithic formations are natural rock masses that appear as a single, coherent block. They are typically exposed by erosion that leaves a massive stone core standing apart from surrounding rock. Natural monoliths are frequently described as monoliths in common usage, whether they are tall pillars, cliffs, or massive boulders.

In sculpture and architecture, monolithic can describe works carved from a single block of stone, as well as buildings designed to present a single, unified mass without joints or separations. Such forms emphasize continuity of material and mass.

In computing and software engineering, monolithic architecture describes systems in which components are interwoven in a single program or deployment unit. A monolithic system may be simple to develop and deploy initially, but tight coupling can hinder scalability, testing, and incremental updates. Modern practice often favors modular architectures, service-oriented or microservices approaches, or other forms of decomposition to reduce the risks associated with a single monolithic codebase.